Bin



April 15, 1930. c. s. JOHNSON BIN Filed April 27, 1928 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CHARLES s. JOHNSON, or cnaumren, rumors Application filed April 27, am. Serial No. 273,210.

The invention relates generally to bins which are adapted to contain granularmaterials such as sand and gravel aggregates. More particularly it relates to bottom discharge bins of this character which are supported above a drive-way or work space for the urpose of loading vehicles or the like whic may be positioned thereon.

Bins for this purpose as constructed heretofore have been square, rectangular or round in form.

It is generally known that round bins are a more economical than square or rectangular bins in metal required for the container because of the greater relation of volume to the surrounding surface of the container that may be employed. The round bins more closely approach a sphere in form and it is well knowna sphere has a greater volume per unit of surface than any other solid form.

Round bins are preferably built with conical bottoms and support the load with the bottom metal in tension and avoid bending strains in flat plates which occur in square or rectangular bin bottoms. It is well known in the art that supporting a load by metal in tension is the most economical manner of employing the metal.

Round bins support the load between the standards or columns by the circular girder which the vertical round walls naturally form. These circular girders function as continuous girders orbeams. The continuous girder or beam is well known to the art as the most economicaltype of girder or beam as to the amount of metal employed.

However, round bins require manufacturing processes not required by square or rec-' tangular bins and some of these processes are expensive and would preferably be avoided. The round bins require hot flangin operations on the shell plates in order to orm the riveted connection between the vertical wall and bottom plates. The round bins with the conical bottoms require hot flanging operations, or' multi le bending operations, or conical rolling oi the cone surfaces and these operations would all preferably be avoided due to the expense involved.

the plates in order to form- The primary object of this invention is to provide a bin which approaches the metal economies of the round bin construction and combines these with the manufacturing economies of flat plate construction where hot flanging, multiple bending or conical rolling are avoided.

A further object is to provide an overhead bin construction that may be economically sway braced.

A further object is to provide a bin having wide angles in the bottom corners, thereby yielding low resistance to the discharge flow of materials.

A further object is to provide a bin of fiat plate construction supported by standards or columns attached to the vertical walls intermediately in the length of the vertical wall sections so that these particular wall sections may function as double arm cantilevers, thereby working to save metal required to resist beam strains.

A further object is to provide a bin so supported by columns or standards that any flat vertical wall sections which function as endsupported beams may be shorter in length than the distance between the columns or standards, thereby working to save metal required to resist beam strains.

A further object is to provide a flat plate bin so formed and supported by a re ated number of standards attached to the vertical walls, that all the wall sections may function in combination as a continuous girder or beam, thereby working to save metal required to resist the supporting strains.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a bin embodying the preferred form of the invention, showing somewhat diagrammatically a truck in loading position thereunder.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the 'bin shown in Fig. 1. 95

For purposes of disclosure I have illustrated in the drawings and willthereinafter describe in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that I do not intend to limit the invention to the particular construction and arrangement shown, it being contemplated that various changes may be made by those sk1lle d 1n the art without departing from the spirit and soo e of the a pended claims.

the embo iment chosen for purposes of disclosure, the invention is shown as applied to a bin 1 which is formed from sheet metal. The bin 1 is preferably formed from a lurality of similar side-wall sections aving integral trapezoidal bottom portlons 3 which are adapted to be bent inwardly to form the converging bottom portlon of the bin. In the present case eight of such sidewall sections 2 are secured together by rivets 5 so that the bin 1 thus formed is octagonal in shape with a bottom discharge open ng 6 defined by the lower ends of the converging walls 3. For the purpose of stiffening the upper edges of the side walls 2, a relatively small angle iron bar 7 may be secured therealong by rivets 8.

To sup ort the bin 1 in an elevated pos1- tion, as a ove a driveway or work space, a plurality of column members or standards 10 are provided which are preferably p051- tioned about the bin so as to form a passageway and allow a truck 11 to be driven thereunder for loading. It is contemplated that a suflicient number of columns will be employed to produce a stable structure and in the present instance four columns 10 are shown, one bein secured to each alternate side wall 2 centra ly thereof. Preferably the columns 10 are in the form of H-columns and extend along the outer surfaces of the side walls 2 to the top edge thereof so that the walls ma be securely riveted to the flanges of the co umns.

When secured in this manner, each of the two ends of the side walls 2 which are secured directly to the columns are forced to constitute cantilever beams and the loads thereon will normally be substantially equal.

It will be apparent that since the portions of the sides 2 which are attached to the col-- ly the stresses therein will be less than onefourth as great.

It will also be evident that the corners formed in the vertical walls by the junction of adjoining wall sections will function as stifleners or struts for holding the vertical walls properly in place to resist the bending strains developed by the load transmitted from the bottomplates. Also that these stiff corners efliciently serve to transmit the load from the intermediate end-supported beam sections to the adjoining cantilever sections of the vertical 'walls.

It will also be noted that the combination of alternate flat sections of vertical walls supported by columns central in their length, with intermediate flat sections of vertical walls unsupported directly by columns, results in the wall-functioning as a continuous beam or girder and the inherent economies of the continuous beam are thereby introduced into the construction along with the use of flat plate construction.

It will also be apparent that the flat surfaces 1n the bin bottom are shorter in width than is obtainable with square or rectangular bins and that therefore less thickness of plates or less stiffening provisions are required for the same loadings per unit of bottom surface.

To ensure greater rigidity of the bin structure, bracing means is referably provided WhlCh extends from each of the columns 10 and perpendicularlfy to the bottom wall portlons 3. In its pre erred form, each of these braces comprises a main member 12 suitably secured at one end near the bottom of the column 10 and which is secured at its other end to the bottom wall portion 3 of the wall section 2 to which the column is attached. This attachment is preferably made by means of a plate 13 extending laterally across the sectlon 3 and riveted thereto and which has a gusset plate 14 integrally formed therewith and riveted to the strut 12. Preferably a Elurahty of truss members 15 are positioned et-ween the main strut 12 and the column 10 so that together with the column 10, the members 12 and 15 form a substantially rigid truss extending perpendicularly-to and supporting the bottom plate 3.-

When the bracing structure is ositioned 1n the manner described, only one race will be needed for each column and due to the fact that the braces are positioned at an angle relativelf to the driveway, a greater clearance wil be provided between the braces for the passage of vehicles to be loaded. Furthermore, the positioning of the supporting columns intermediate the ends of the side walls so as to make the ends of the side walls act as cantilevers serves more efficiently to utilize the material of the sloping bottom walls, since the metal therein acts to prevent lateral flexure of the bottom edge of the vertical side walls.

From-the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a bin structure which requires a minimum amount of material to produce a substantially rigidbin of a given capacity, thus reducing the cost thereof .and facilitating the handling and shipping of the bin.

It will also be observed that due to the similarity and size of the sections and the reduced number of braces from which the bin structure is formed, the fabrication and erection of the bin is much more simple and economical than that of bins which have been heretofore known The actual economies in cost ofmaterial'used and labor required have been found to vary from 15 to 33 per cent depending upon the size of bins compared.

I claim as my invention:

1. A loading bin adapted to straddle a drive-way so that vehicles may be moved thereunder to be loaded therefrom, said bin comprising a plurality of duplicate side sections arranged to form an octagonal bin, said sections having sloping bottom portions which converge inwardly to form a bottom discharge opening, a plurality of columns, one attached centrally toeach alternate side section, and brace members attached one to each of said columns and extending inwardly toward the center of the bin and arranged to brace said converging bottom portions centrally thereof.

2. A loading bin adapted to straddle a drive-way so that vehicles may be moved thereunder to be loaded therefrom, said bin comprising a plurality of duplicate side sections arranged to form an octagonal bin, said sections having sloping bottom portions which converge inwardly to form a bottom discharge opening, and a plurality of columns, one attached centrally to each alternate side section.

3. A bin structure of the character described comprising, in combination, a. pluscribed comprising a plurality of vertical side walls and converging bottom walls definin a bottom discharge opening, and a plura ity of columns, each engaging one of said vertical side walls in supportlng relation centrally thereof.

6. A bin structure of the character described comprising a plurality of duplicate side sections formed from flat sheets of metal, each angularly disposed relatively to the adjoining section, and a plurality of supports attached to said side walls intermediate the ends of the walls and arranged to form a stable structure.

7. In a structure of the class described, a bin adapted to contain granular materials, having side walls, and bottom walls defining a central discharge opening, columns attached to said bin to support the bin above a driveway, and bracing members extending inwardly toward the center of the bin from said columns to the bottom walls perpendicularly to said walls. a

8. A bin structure of the character described, comprising a plurality of side walls having sloping bottom portions defining a bottom discharge opening, a plurality of columns, each attached to one of said side walls centrally thereof, and a plurality of bottom braces, one extending inwardl to ward the center of the bin from each 0 said columns perpendicularly to one of said bottom walls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aiiixed my signature.

CHARLES S. JOHNSON.

rality of supporting columns, a plurality of side walls each secured intermediate its ends to one of said columns so as to project laterally therefrom in both directions in the form which serve to brace sai vertical of cantilever beams a plurality of other side walls positioned alternately with the first mentioned side walls and attached thereto so as to be supported thereby and to form a continuous enclosing side wall forthe bin,

and a bottom wall for said bin attached to all of said side walls.

4. A structure of the class described comprising a. bin having side walls with vertical top portions and convergin bottom portions or 1on against lateral flexure and also to efine-a bottom discharge 0 ening, and a plurality- 'of columns arran e to provide a stable supvertical portions of said wall due to .a load placed in said bin willbe located in the lower part of said vertical portion which part is laterally braced by one of said rponverging bottom ortions.

5. A in structure of the character de- 

